Off-bearing mechanism for tile-cutting machines



Oct. 12 1926. 1,602,719

H. R. STRAIGHT OFF-BEARING MECHANISM FOR TILE CUTTING MACHINES FiledApril 17, 192s 2 sheets-sheet 1.

lzwenr Atty.:

Patented Oct. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES HALVERR. STRAIGHT, or ADEL, IOWA.

oFF-BEARING MEcHANIsM Fon Tinncnr'rrne MACHINES.

Application fndfApru 17, 1923. vserial No. 632,683.

.The object of my invention is to'provide a mechanism of comparativelysimple, durable and inexpensive construction which may be locatedadjacent tothe delivery end 5 of a tile cutting niachinedesigned toreceive the tile from the said Vmachine and deliver them to a conveyor,whichmay be Ia oo ntinuously operated conveyor or interrnlt* tentlyoperated, the tile ,being placed on end and spaced a slight distanceapart on 4said receiving conveyor.

`A further object isto provide in an off bearing mechanism for tilecutting machines, new and improved means for gr1pping the tile as theyare delivered from a substantially horizontal position to a secondconveyor in a vertical position.

A further object is tof provide -improved means for operating thegripping `mechanism.

My invention consists inthe construction, arrangement and combination ofthe various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter f more fully set forth, pointed out in myclaims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which'2-VFigure 1 is-'a side elevation of my improved mechanism showing the same."0 mounted'in operative relation with the delivery end of a` tilecutting machine.

Figure2 is an enlarged, detail side elevation of the delivery end 4of myimproved mechanism.

Figure 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of`Figure 2.

Figure t is adetail, transverse, sectibnal view taken on the line 4.--4of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatical View of the electric circuit.

Thenumeral 10 indicatesthe delivery end of a tile cutting machine of thetype ordinarily used in the manufacture of clay products, whichcomprises a `frame 11 having `an endless conveyor 12 including a seriesof transversely arranged slats `13 upon which the, tile 'arereceivedfrom the tile machine.` The slats r13 are of such width thatsubstantially three-are `required to support ya single tile 14. The endsof the tile are even with the outer edges of 'each `group of threeslats, as clearly shown lin Figure 1. l

Arranged adjacent tothedeliveryend of the conveyor 12is a fsuppbrt 15 inwhich is mounted a-conveyor frame 16. The said Adjacent to the lowerendof thev conveyor 17 is a second endless belt conveyor 18 which isr"mounted on a roller 1`9lfat its upper-end, andi arroller20 atiitslower end. VThe roller 19 is mounted vonl an yaxle 20a, `which is ad justablysupported by means of uprigh'ts 21. The 'roller 20 comprises Aashell 22 which is supported by means of rollers 23-mounted on thetransversely arranged lshafts 24, Vthe said shafts being rtativelymounted in suitable supporting members" 25.

*The shafts 24 are located to ltherear 'of the shell `22,"a'nd in aplaneperpendicular tothe longitudinal axisof the conveyor 18 1n asuch, ya Y jconveyor II8 will hold'the cylindrical"shell 22 :in position yadjacentto thefforward faces of the rollers 23,'*the saidrollers being pro'-vided with flanges 24a'to "keep the'shell in alinement. The conveyor 18is designed to receive the'tile vas `it visdischarged from'the conveyor17 "andis operated by the weight of thetile.

tLocated longitudinally and tliroughthe Vshell 22 is a square having arounded!bearingportion 27 at-each end, thesaid bearing portionbeingmounted in bearings 28 carried by the support-s 25.

centrally Each outer'end of the square portion ai 'thef'shaft2is`provided with a sleeve which is formed of a non-magnetic materialsuch as bronzefor brass.v vThe outer endof each of thejsleeves beingdesigned to engage suitable collars 30 which rest against the inner'face ofthe `bearings 2S. The outer end of each of the sleeves 29 isprovided with agripper supporting 'arm 31. The said arms are designed toextend lsubstantially upwardly when in anormal position of movement and'swing forwardly'to a substantially horizontal position'. The outer endof each of the arms 31 is provided with a bracket-32, each of which isdesigned to 'adjustably receive aslotted bar '133 secured in position bymeans of bolts 311.

The said bars 33 are arranged'horiiontally manner thatv the tensionofthe Uil shaft 2c ion IlSl

and designed to support on their inner ends a block The width of thesaid blocks is determined by the vertical width et the tile on theconveyor 13.

'lhe upper and lowerI edges ot each ot the blocks are provided with aVpneumatic gripping device 35, each of which is l'ormed hollow andcylindrical oi' resilient material such as rubber, and of a lengthslightly less than the length et the tile.

Each et the members 36 is provided with ilanges 3l' and 33, the saidflanges extending the full length of the tubular members 36, and theiianges 3'? being designed to be secured to the upper and lower edges ofthe blocks 35, while the flanges 3S are designed 'to be secured to theinner faces of said blocks. The said flanges are secured in a detachablemanner by means ot screws 39, so that they may be easily and quicklyremoved for repair.

Each et the members 36 is provided with a valve stem which is Jior thepurpose ot permitting air to be pumped into the tubular members 36 andpressure maintained therein. rlhe valve stem 40 is similar to those usedon the ordinary pneumatic tires commonly used on bicycle wheels andautomobile wheels. The tubular members are located adjacent to the sidesof the blocks, one near 1the upper edge ot the side and the other onenear the lower edge of the side of the block, a pair on each side andspaced apart a distance slightly greater than the transverse width otthe block so that as the block is moved longitudinally on the conveyor18, it will pass freely between the members 36 when they are in theirnormal position of movement.

lt will be seen that irP the arms 31 are moved inwardly toward eachother, which is accomplished by permitting the sleeves 29 te slidelongitudinally on the shaft 26, the members 3G will engage the sidefaces of the block 14 at a point near their lower and upper edges, sothat the weight ot the said block may be supported as it is deliveredfrom the conveyor 13 to a receiving conveyor 41. The shaft 26 ispermitted to rotate until the blocl; has assumed a vertical position, atwhich time it rests upon the conveyor 41. The arms 31 are movedoutwardly by means ot a spring 42 on the inner portion oi the shat 26,which has each end engaging the ends ot the sleeves 29.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the arms 31 are moved inwardlytoward each other just at the time the block 14 has veen moved betweenthem so that the said arms are midway between the said blocks and. thatthe said arms are moved toward each other causing the members 31 to gripthe block, that the block may be delivered to the vertical position andto the conveyor 41 Without injury to the block.

In this connection it will be seen that it is necessary to apply aretarding or breaking action to the members 31 so that the block may belowered gradually, and at substantially the same speed o'l the conveyor18. To accomplish this I have provided the 'following mechanism:

Mounted in the ends of the shell 22, which is preferably constructed ot'non-magnetic material, l have provided cylindrical members 43, each el'which has its outer edge provided with an inwardly extending annularflange 44. The members 43 and 44 are formed ot magnetic material such assott iron.

lllounted within the inner ends of the members 43 l have provided coilsot ccnducting wire 45. Mounted on each ot the sleeves 29 i have provideda core member 4G, the inner end of which is enlarged, while its outerend is provided with a flange 47'-, said flange being designed to besecured to the arm 31 by means oi' suitable bolts 43. The operation ofthis part ot my device is as follows:

lll/*hen the coils 45 become energized by electrical current governed bythe circuits and controlling mechanism, which will hereinafter bedescribed., the cores 46 will be drawn in wardly toward each otheragainst the action ot spring 42. rl'his will move the sleeves 29inwardly, and also the arms 31, until the members engage the tile 14.The mein bers 43 and 44 together with the lflange 4l' it will be seenare in Ithe magnetic iield produced by the coils 45, and that the disks4T will be moved toward the members 44 until they' come in Contacttherewith, after which the members 47 become firmly secured to themembers 44, and the arms 31 will be rotated simultaneously with theshell 22, which is in turn rotated by the belt 13 until the blocks haveassumed a vertical position, which time the current is released trom thecoils 45 and the arms 31 separated by means et the spring- 42.

The arms 31 return to their normal position by means ot a spring 50, oneend ot' which is secured to a bracket 51 on the main irame ot thedevice, while the opposite end is secured to an arni 52 mounted on theouter end of the shaft 26. The backward move-- ment of the free ends ofthe arms 31 is limited by a lug 53 from the arm 31 engaging a lug 54from the supporting members 25.

rifhe device tor controlling the current in the coils 45 comprises apair et circular conducting rings 55 mounted in an annular insulatingblock 56 mounted in a groove 57 in the central portion ot the shell 22.il. conductor member 53 connects one oic the rings 55 with one 01"' thecoils 45, while tie two coils are connected together by means of aconductor 59, the current returning to the opposite ring 55 through aconductor GO.

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'(-nd of the she-ll 22 is an upright frame 68 having a transverselyarranged cross beam (39. Mounted horizontally beneath4 the beam 69 is ashaft 70, one end of which is pivotally secured in one oit the uprights68, while the opposite'pend is secured in the downwardlyextendingbearing member 71.

The central portion of the shaft 70 is provided with a downwardlyextending trip device 72 designed to be engaged by the upper1 edge ofthe tile 14 whe'nit hasreached a predetermined position of movement.

Rotativelymounted on vthe outer end of the shaft 7 0 andadjacenttotheouter end of the bearing 71 is a hub member 73 which is providedwitha groove 7 4 and a radially extending arm 75. Thev outer end of thearm 7 5'is provided with `an insulating block 76 designed to carry thecontact 77, the said Contact being designed to coact with the contactmember 7 8 carried by an insulating block 79, and a stationary arm 8O'secured to the member 69. f

Secured Tto theextireme outer endofithe shaft 70 is a disk 81 havingasnotch 82 in its periphery. The said notch A82 is'designed to receive alaterally extending Vpin 83 on one side of the arm 75. The disk 81 isdesigned to carry a 4crank 84 pivotedto the connecting lrod v85,'thelower end of vwhich is slidingly mounted in a shaft 86. Thesaid shaft 86is rotatively mounted in one of the arms 31.

The lower end of the rod 85 is provided with lock nuts 87 to limit themovement of the rod 85. A spring 88 has one end secured to the beam 69,whilethe other end is secured to a pin 89 extending outwardly from thecrank arm 84. Thesad pin 89 is so arranged that it may be moved toeither side of the dead center between the shaft 86 and the pin 89. y

The outer face of the arm 71 is provided with a leaf spring 90, the freeend of which is forked and designed to enter the groove 74 of themember73, in such a manner that the member 7 3 `is frictionally heldinengagement with the end of thebearing member 71.

Figures 1 and`2 show the apparatus positioned as it would'be when it isinoperative, with the switch arm 75 at its lower limit of movement andthe contacts 77 'and 78v out of `engagement with /each other. The lowertravel.

end of the rod 85 extends through the member 86 a considerable distance.

It will be seen that iii' the block 14 is advanced forwardly by the belt18 until its upper edge engages the trip member 72, the shaft 70 will berotated by said trip member, which in turn will cause the disk 81 to berotated and Vcarry with it the pins 89 and the connecting rod 85. Thismovement will continue until'the pin 81passes the dead center of theshaft 70, at which time the said spring will cause the disk 80 to berapidly rotated, and the trip device 72 to be thrown out of engagementwith the block 14, the disk 81 being rotated until the lower edge of thenotch 82 engages the pin 83, which pin will cause the arm 75 to beelevated and electric contact made between the contacts 77 and 78 and acircuit established through the coils 45, after which the armsl will berotated carrying with them the block 14 until the block has assumed asubstanktially vertical position.

'As the said arms 31 are rotated, it will be seen that the shaft`86 willvtraveldoiwnwardly along the connecting rod 85 until the said shaft 86engages the lock nuts 87, which is slightly before the lower end of theblock 14 lengages the conveyor belt 41. A further movement of the arm-31causes the connecting rod 85 to be `moved longi tudinally, which in turnwill pull the VJfree end ofthe crank 84 downwardly and cause the disk 81to -be rotated in an opposite direction, until the upper edge of thenotch 82 strikes the 'pin 83, at which time the varm 75 will be moveddownwardly and the vcontacts 77 and 78 made to disengage each other`breaking the electric circuitfthrough the coils 45, thus permitting thearms 31,

together with the members 36 to return vto their normal position ofmovement through the action vof the spring 50. n

It will be seen that while the pin 83 is between the ends of the notch82, and prior to the breaking of the contact, due to the pull of the rod85, the contact members 74 and 73 are retained in contactingyrel'atfionby the friction'al 'engagementott the arms 73 with the'bearing'members71.

By this arrangement it will be seenthat blocks may be easily and quicklyplaced from a horizontal position to a vertical position as they aredelivered 4from the continuously moving conveyor, and that the speed ofthe gripping or takeof mechanism will `be regulated absolutely by thespeed of the coveyor upon which the blocks VThespeed of this conveyorcan be regulated by the amount of inclination given to the belt 18.

By `mounting `the members 36 on the blocks 35, it will be seen that bymaking `said blocks in various widths, `tile otdifferent heights maybeaccommodated by the Vmail i) chine, although in ordinary cases thesingle set oi blocks 35 may be used with several different sizes oftile.

llt will further be seen that the device is adaiitcd to also operate ontile of diii'erent widths, due to the Yfact that the members 35 and areadjustably mounted toward and from each other by means of the bars 33.

'lhus it will be seen that l have provided a mechanism oi simple,durable and inefipensive construction, which is adapted to be used inconnection with the cutting mechanism ot tile machines, and which willautomatically deliver the tile to said cutting` mechanism from ahorizontal position to a vertical position on a moving conveyor. Thesaid receiving` conveyor may be driven at such speed that the blockswill be spaced apart a slight distance, the blocks being removed fromthe said receiving conveyor either by hand or automatically.

l claim as my invention l. :li support. a conveyor mounted thereindesigned to carry a series of adjacent tile made end to end, saidconveyor being mounted on a roller, a pair of gripping members spacedapart and located at each side of the tile as it is advanced on saidconveyor, magnetically controlled means for moving` said grippingmembers toward each other and to engage one of said tile when the saidtile has reached a certain predetermined posit-ion oi its movement,magnetic means ifor causina' said grippingI devices to move in unisonwith the said roller in a path concentric with the center of said rollerso as to carry the tile from a horizontal position to a substantiallyvertical position, and means for causing` said tile to be releasec bysaid grippers when it has reached a substsnti ly vertical position ofits movement.

2. ai support, a roller on one end 01"' said support, a cylindricalshell on the opposite end oi said support r tatively mounted in a planeparallel with the first said roller, a belt tor shell and said rollen ashat't erv endi g centrally and longitudinally through sait. shell, apair of arms slidably and rotatively mounted 0n said shaft, means Vforyieldably holding said arms to their outer limit of movement, magneticmeans 'tor moving said arms toward each other against the action oi'said yieldable means, gripper members carried by the tree ends or saidarms and above the upper run oii said belt, said grippers being soarranged that 'when at their out-er limit et movement a tile mounted onsaid belt may move between them, electrical means ttor operating saidmagnetic means, means for controlling' said electrical means whereby thetile will be gripped when it has reached a predetermined positionbetween said grippers and move from a substantially horizontal positionto a vertical position, and means for releasing said tile when it hasreached the said vertical position.

3. A support, an endless conveyor ca;l ried thereby in substantially ahorizontal position, one end oi said conveyor being supported by acylindrical shell and actuated by said endless conveyor, said endlesscon-- veyor being designed to receive a series oi" tile arranged end toend longitudinally with said conveyor, a shaft extending axially throughsaid cylindrical shell, said shaft be ing rotatively mounted, a pair ofsleeves carried by said shaft slidably and non-rota` tively mountedthereon, means for yieldably moving said sleeves outwardly from each flother, a core carried by each of said sleeves, the outer end of each ofsaid cores being` provided with a disk, a cylindrical core member forthe outer end of said shell, a coil within each ot said cylindrical coremembers, electrical means for exciting said coil so that a magneticfield is established to pullv fill said grippers to move the grippers'from one position of their movement to another', and means for causingsaid electrical circuit to to broken when the tile has reached a vertical position of its movement.

el. A support, an endless conveyor carried thereby in substantially ahorizontal position, one end of said conveyor eing` sup* ported by acylindrical shell and actuated by said endless conveyor, said endlessconveyor being designed to receive a series oit tile arranged end to endlongitudinally with said conveyor, a shaft extending axially throughsaid cylindrical shell, said s :it being rotatively mounted, a pair ofsleeves carried by said shaft slidably and non-rotatively mountedthereon, means for yieldably moving said sleeves outwardly from eachother, a core carried by each of said sleeves, the outer end of each oi:said cores being provided with a. dish, a cylindrical core mer ber forthe outer end oiA s shell, a coil within each of said cylindrical coremembers, electrical means Yfor exciting said coil so that a magneticlield is established to pull the said cores toward each other and thesaid disks into contact with the ends ot the cylindrical core members, aradially arranged arm carried by each of said disks and parallel witheach other, an inwardly extending gripper member secured to the outerend of each of said arms., means :tor adjustably mounting said grippermembers so that they may be moved toward or from iii() lill each otherrelative to said` arms, automatic means for closing the circuit of saidelectrical means when a tile has reached a position between saidgrippers to move the grippers from one position of their movement toanother, and means for causing said electrical circuit to be broken whenthe tile has reached a vertical position of its movement.

5. In a device of the class described, a gripping mechanism, comprisinga pair of blocks spaced apart and parallel with each other, the oppositeedges of the inner" faces of said blocks each beinof lprovided with apneumatic tube detachably secured thereto, said tubes being spaced apartand parallel. with each other, means for supporting the blocks in saidparallel positions, and means for moving said supporting means towardand from each other, so that the said tubes may be moved in contact withor made to disengage a tile spaced between them.

6. In a device of the class described, a gripping mechanism comprising apair of blocks spaced apart and parallel with each other, the oppositeedges of the inner faces of said blocks each being provided with apneumatic tube detachably secured thereto,

said tubes being spaced apart and parallel with each other, means forsupporting the blocks in said parallel positions, means for moving saidsupporting means toward and from each other so that the said tubes maybe moved in contact with or made tol disengage a tile spaced betweenthem, and means for adjustably supporting said blocks toward or fromeach other relative to said supports.

In a device of the class described, a gripping member comprising apneumatic tube having a flange extending longitudinally with said tubeand tangentially with the outer face, a second flange perpendicular tothe rst said flange, and means provided whereby said tube may beinllated.

8. In combination with the delivery end of a tile cutting machine, asupport, a conveyor carried by said support and in alinement with thedischarge end of said cutting machine, said conveyor comprising a seriesof transversely arranged rollers placed in a slightly downwardlyinclined plane, an endless conveyor adjacent to the lower end of saidconveyor, said endless conveyor being designed to receive material iromsaid conveyor, a horizontally arranged conveyor beneath the dischargeend yof said endless conveyor ,and in alinement therewith, a memberrotatively mounted within said endless conveyor at a fixed speed there`with, means controlled by the last said member for gripping blockscarried by the said endless conveyor and delivering them to the saidhorizontally arranged conveyor from a substantially horizontal positionto a vertical position. f

9. In combination with the delivery end offa tile cutting machine, asupport, a conveyor carried by said support and in alinement with thedischarge end of said cutting machine, said conveyor comprising a seriesof transversely arranged rollers, an endless conveyor adjacent to thedelivery vend, of said conveyor, said endless conveyor being designed toreceive material from said conveyor, a horizontally arranged conveyorbeneath the discharge end oi said endless conveyor and in alinementtherewith, means controlled by the movement of said endless conveyor forgripping blocks carried by the said endless conveyor, and deliveringthem to the said horizontally arranged conveyor from a substantiallyVhorizontal position to a vertical position.

10. In a device of the class described, a gripping mechanism comprisinga pair of spaced blocks, substantially parallel with each other, eachor" said blocks being pro-V vided with a pneumatic vgripping member,means for moving said gripping members toward and from each other sothat they may be moved in contact with or made to engage a tile spacedbetween them.

11. A support, a roller, an endless conveyor mounted on said roller anddesigned to carry a series of adjacent tile laid end to end, a secondconveyoradjacent to the delivery end of 'said endless conveyor, a pairof gripping members spaced apart and located at each side of the tile asit is advanced on said endless conveyor, means for moving said grippingmembers toward each other to engage one of said tile when the said tilehas reached a certain predetermined position of its movement, means forcausing said gripping devices to be moved in unison with said roller, ina path concentric with the center of said roller, and to carry the tilefrom a horizontal position from the, first saidV conveyor to asubstantially vertical position on the second said conveyor, and meansfor causing said 'tile

